Attendance
Our aim is to bring the best out of every pupil that attends Farcet C of E Primary School
The Importance Of Attendance
Parents have a responsibility to ensure that their children receive full time education and regular attendance is essential if children are to progress with their learning. The school day is divided into two registration sessions so, for example, one day of absence will be recorded as two sessions.
The Department for Education states that it is the responsibility of parents to:
(a) Ensure that their children arrive at school on time, properly attired and in a condition to learn.
(b) Instil in their children a respect for education - and for those who deliver it.
(c) Impress upon their children the need to observe the school’s code of conduct and reinforce this through discipline in the home.
(d) Inform schools of the reason for a child’s absence as soon as possible and to provide further information as required.
Please come to school on time!
Please arrive between 8.40 and 8.50 a.m. Children are welcomed into their classrooms from 8.40 a.m.
Please use the playground gate. (This is locked during the day.)
Classes start at 8.50 a.m.
Break time is from 11:30 a.m. to 11.45 a.m. for all
(Foundation Stage and KS1 pupils have additional breaks as required)
Assembly (with a daily act of Collective Worship) takes place at 9.00 a.m. Monday to Thursday.
On Fridays we have a Celebration Assembly where parents are invited in to celebrate their child's achievement.
Lunch time is from 12.30 p.m. to 1.30 p.m
Classes end at 3.20 p.m.
Please remember!
If your child is likely to be late or is going to be absent please telephone to let us know (01733 240337) before 9.00am
We require all children to be collected on time. However, if you are unavoidably delayed at ‘home time’ children wait inside, near the main entrance and should be collected from there.
List of services
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Attendance figures explainedList Item 1
Attendance is based on a child being at school in time for the morning register as well as the afternoon register so being marked present for 2 sessions a day.
Both these sessions count towards their overall attendance figure which is simply a percentage of how many sessions your child has been present throughout the current academic year.
The only reasons a child will be marked as present when they are not in school are if they are being educated at a different location, or at a school event such as residential or sporting.
There are a variety of different reasons that a child may be absent from school and the school will assign an appropriate code on the register to make staff aware of the reason.
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Authorised AbsenceList Item 2
Notification of Absence
We ask parents/carers to inform the school at the earliest opportunity by phone or in person, if your child is unwell and unable to attend school. If we have no reason for the absence by 9.10am the absence will be recorded as unauthorised. If we are unable to make contact, we will make a welfare check to the home or other known addresses. Other planned absences should be notified to the school via an Application for Leave of Absence Form.
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UNAUTHORISED TERM TIME LEAVE (includes Holiday):List Item 3
Leave of Absence
Children of school age who are registered at Farcet must, by law, attend school regularly. The Education (Pupil Registration) (England) (Amndment) Regulsations 2013 amended the previous Education Regulations (England) 2006 removing the Headteacher's discretion to agree term time holiday. As a result, all holidays taken in term time will be unauthorised unless the absence is for 'exceptional circumstances' which are unavoidable and rare.
Parents are expected to provide explanations for their child/ren's proposed absence. Please complete an Application for Leave of Absence Form to explain why are requesting leave. If authorisation for this leave is not granted but the child is absent, or no authorisation is sought, or the period of leave is at a similar time of year to an unauthorsied absence in a previous year, the absence will be recorded as unauthorised. As a result, a referral may be made to the Education Welfare Officer who may issue each parent with a Penalty Notice (fine). For more information on Penalty Notices please see the Cambridgeshire County Council's website.
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Why we feel a child’s attendance is so importantList Item 4
Children’s learning in school is based on a build up of skills and knowledge.
This build up is continually planned by teachers on a day to day basis. Children that miss one session could miss out on a potentially important session and although every effort is made to catch children up when they return, this is usually not as effective and takes time away from the rest of the class.
If children miss out on a number of sessions this can significantly affect their overall progress.
Children that are away from school on a regular basis can miss out on opportunities to build strong friendships and can sometimes find it harder to build strong friendships within school